United
Kingdom

Top Job Sectors

• Healthcare & Nursing (NHS)
• Information Technology
• Engineering & Construction
• Finance & Banking
• Education & Teaching
• Hospitality & Catering
• Social Care

Salary Ranges (Annual)

• Nurse (NHS): £32,000 – £45,000
• Software Engineer: £45,000 – £90,000
• Civil Engineer: £35,000 – £65,000
• Teacher: £28,000 – £42,000
• Chef: £25,000 – £40,000
• Accountant: £35,000 – £60,000
• Social Worker: £30,000 – £45,000

Cost of Living

• London rent: £1,500–£2,500/mo
• Outside London: £700–£1,200/mo
• Groceries: £200–£350/mo
• Transport: £150–£250/mo
• Utilities: £100–£180/mo
• NHS healthcare: Free (after IHS)

Visa Pathways

• Skilled Worker Visa (Tier 2)
• Health & Care Worker Visa
• Student Visa (Tier 4)
• Graduate Route (2 years)
• Global Talent Visa
• Innovator Founder Visa
• Family Visa

PR & Citizenship

After 5 years on a Skilled Worker Visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) — UK permanent residency. After 1 more year with ILR, you can apply for British Citizenship.

ILR Fee: £2,885 | Citizenship: £1,500

Processing Timeline

• Skilled Worker Visa: 3–8 weeks
• Health & Care Visa: 3 weeks
• Student Visa: 3 weeks
• Graduate Route: 8 weeks
• ILR Application: 6 months
• British Citizenship: 6 months

Eligibility Criteria

• Job offer from UK-licensed sponsor
• Role on eligible occupation list
• Salary ≥ £26,200 (or role minimum)
• English language B1 level
• Valid passport
• Tuberculosis test (if required)

Documents Required

• Valid passport / travel document
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
• Proof of English proficiency
• Educational qualifications
• Bank statements (28 days)
• TB test certificate (if applicable)

Shortage Occupations

These roles have lower salary thresholds and faster processing:

• Registered Nurses
• Secondary School Teachers
• Civil Engineers
• IT Professionals
• Social Workers
• Chefs (skilled)